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On Nov. 5, Keith and Clara DeHaven loaded up their pickup and piled the bed high with bags of new and used shoes of all sorts — 278 pounds in all — collected by the Sedgwick Senior Center to be donated to the Veteran’s Administration hospice in Wichita.
It is part of an ongoing project the senior center has undertaken to raise money for veterans in the area.
Clara DeHaven, president of the senior center, drew inspiration for the project by reading about Faye Evans, who started a similar project several months ago to raise $50,000 for the Robert J. Dole Veterans Administration Hospital in Wichita. Evans has been raising money for veterans’ projects groups during the past few years, and DeHaven wanted to do something similar to help the worthy cause.
“We don't get paid for it in any way,” DeHaven said. “We’re supposed to help one another.”
The Sedgwick Senior Center has many members who are veterans and support the cause. During the past several months, the center has collected shoes of all sorts and continues to accept them on a daily basis and in any condition.
Once the shoes are donated, they are weighed, sorted, and the wearable ones are donated to the VA hospice or to the DAV warehouse in Wichita to be distributed to DAV thrift stores around the area. The unwearable ones are recycled, with proceeds from the recycling donated to local veterans’ organizations as well. The only shoes that cannot be accepted for donation at this time are the so-called “jelly shoes,” as they are not compatible with the recycling methods the VA uses. Any other shoes, though, are fair game.
“Some people donate new shoes as well,” DeHaven said. “Nice shoes, boots, dress shoes ... some look like they’ve never been worn. We have people drop off big bags of shoes.”
Donations of shoes are welcome at the Sedgwick Senior Center at 107 W. Fifth St. in Sedgwick, during the center’s normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. For those folks frequently in the Wichita area, they also can donate shoes directly to the DAV warehouse.
“I think it’s a good mission for the center,” DeHaven said. “It truly helps the veterans, and we’re happy to do it.”
On Nov. 5, Keith and Clara DeHaven loaded up their pickup and piled the bed high with bags of new and used shoes of all sorts — 278 pounds in all — collected by the Sedgwick Senior Center to be donated to the Veteran’s Administration hospice in Wichita.
It is part of an ongoing project the senior center has undertaken to raise money for veterans in the area.Clara DeHaven, president of the senior center, drew inspiration for the project by reading about Faye Evans, who started a similar project several months ago to raise $50,000 for the Robert J. Dole Veterans Administration Hospital in Wichita. Evans has been raising money for veterans’ projects groups during the past few years, and DeHaven wanted to do something similar to help the worthy cause.“We don't get paid for it in any way,” DeHaven said. “We’re supposed to help one another.”The Sedgwick Senior Center has many members who are veterans and support the cause. During the past several months, the center has collected shoes of all sorts and continues to accept them on a daily basis and in any condition.Once the shoes are donated, they are weighed, sorted, and the wearable ones are donated to the VA hospice or to the DAV warehouse in Wichita to be distributed to DAV thrift stores around the area. The unwearable ones are recycled, with proceeds from the recycling donated to local veterans’ organizations as well. The only shoes that cannot be accepted for donation at this time are the so-called “jelly shoes,” as they are not compatible with the recycling methods the VA uses. Any other shoes, though, are fair game.“Some people donate new shoes as well,” DeHaven said. “Nice shoes, boots, dress shoes ... some look like they’ve never been worn. We have people drop off big bags of shoes.”Donations of shoes are welcome at the Sedgwick Senior Center at 107 W. Fifth St. in Sedgwick, during the center’s normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. For those folks frequently in the Wichita area, they also can donate shoes directly to the DAV warehouse.“I think it’s a good mission for the center,” DeHaven said. “It truly helps the veterans, and we’re happy to do it.”
